Vegan Las Vegas

Month plus

2008-11-18T18:32:00.000-08:00

OK I have to start over.

Today I was good though, grapes, banana, pistacyos, soy dogs, tomato soup in a bread bowl.

hilarious last post

2008-10-13T14:41:00.000-07:00

Didn't we all know...

Anyway, the point is I have had a few set backs in the vegan world. First of all... honeybutter on green beans at Outback (who knew that's why they were so good)
mussels (again) crab (again)
AND I've been chomping away at those soy burgers held together with alas, eggs. So... it will have to be a strict campaign for the next few weeks. Strict!!!

Sober October

2008-10-01T15:46:00.000-07:00

The only way I will be able to survive this crazy busy month is to try very hard to curtail the vino. This will also help with the waist band I assume. So, here's to it. Now don't worry all my friends, I'm not on the wagon, just trying to maintain some semblance of sobriety so that I can do my list...
Pasta salad with veggies and honey dijon
Spaghetti with marinara and soy parmesan
Soy cheese quesadillas
Tacos with beans and rice
Garden burgers with tomatoes, lettuce, and soy mayo
Chicken patties (soy) with lettuce and pickles
Chips and Salsa
Pad Thai (+ one sushi roll so delicious)

It isn't working

2008-09-22T15:19:00.000-07:00

Ok, some of my pants fit better. But I have been a slacker at this diet for the past week. So. In honor of the very expensive trip to the store and a new beginning...

Fruit Salad and Coffee
Leftover Warmers with Avocado

Sunday
Breakfast Warmers: potatoes, rice, corn, spinach in a tortilla
Soy Cheese Pizza
Taco salad with lettuce, refried beans, olives, tomatoes, green onions, and avocado

I will not blog about unblogged

2008-09-12T12:22:00.000-07:00

It took me 30 minutes to drive home from grad school. It is 5 blocks. I was mad. I went to the Beltway to buy a 40 for the first day of stacey's 40 days of 40. They dont sell40's at this particular store ( but you can buy wine bags scotch cigars and peanuts but no 40s. As I was asking the helpful staff and telling them my wonderful gift idea, I look behind me and ok and behold it is Stacey. The fact we had just texted and were heading to the same party at the same time, the fact we had never seen each other at store EVER in 6 years. As we laughed and my plan of the 40 ruined, we drove to Teri's for the party. At the intersection there is chaos as two dogs jump out and start running around the streets. Quite the adventure!

Cream in your coffee or sgar in your bowl

2008-09-10T15:35:00.000-07:00

It has been quite a week and its only wednesday. I"m trying to find my inner-ness to go out again, I guess I should probably take a shower

Wed
Veggie Delight Sub
Super Veg Pita left overs from Sunday lunch
2 Vegan waffles with syrup

Tues
Vegan sandwich from Panera with un Vegan Broc and Cheddar soup
Ramen
Sweet Couscous for breakfast (orange juice, raisins, honey, yum) PS honey isn't vegan if you're one of those save the animal vegans)

Monday
Delicious taco salad with beans soy cheese avocado toms cilantro scallions
Cole slaw
Soy chicken patty with soy pepper jack cheese and avocado
Cereal with soy milk

Grocery Bill

2008-09-07T09:19:00.000-07:00

The main problem I've been having of late is the ability to eat out. I have to focus this week on cooking meals, reheating and eating leftovers, and remembering that a good veg burger at home with all the fixins beats anything I can order out. I do get an odd satisfaction of reading all the stuff I can't eat on a menu, but if I leave the house full, then going out won't lead to desperation.

Tonight's plan... vegan mushroom stroganoff for dinner, big salad for lunch.

Breakfast
Cream of wheat made with water, topped with chopped pecans, Tbsp grape nuts and brown sugar. Coffee with creamer *

Complicated

2008-09-06T17:02:00.000-07:00

Ok, listing the foods I've eaten needs to be part of the blog process, not for anyone really to read, but for accountability. Also, the problems with this experience of turning vegan needs to be discussed especially when it comes to cheese. I'm proud of myself, despite a few setbacks, but I know I have never felt healthier.

I need to focus more on the McDougall recipes and cooking each night. I'm finding myself skipping lunch (1 pm) to eat after school and then craving going out before grad school. I need to go to the grocery store and cook every day. It will count as exercise if I walk to the store, make me feel better and have more energy, and also let me focus on me - which should be the most important part of my day. Not family, friends, school, or work. me. sounds selfish but if I want to be available for others and be better for myself, this will have to be part of it.

So blogging about how hard it is to read the menu or eat another veggie burger, will help me focus on recipes at home that taste great and fill me up. I ordered the grilled veggie wrap at Bateman's and it was HOT green beans on lettuce. That was all. But Ryan's Daughter has excellent veggie options, a great portabello sandwich with mixed veg that was great, but I should have ordered the sweet potato fries. Another thing I liked was the Veggie Delight at Subway, but I couldn't forgo the cheese on that one. oops.

Saturday:
Mandarin Oranges, Coffee with cream
Green bean wrap and fries
Bean burrito with soy cheese, cilantro, tomatoes, green chiles, and salsa & chips

Friday:
Fruit salad and Coffee
Ramen ** take vegsalt and other seasonings for quick ramen so I don't eat the seasoning packet to forgo the salt content.
Veggie and Portabello sandwich and fries
Artichoke hearts and mushrooms picked off a veggie patch pizza

Forgot to Blog

2008-09-04T12:18:00.001-07:00

Forgot that cheese isn't Vegan
4
Mushroom Gnocci with Broccoli and soy pepperjack
Pad Thai, goldfish crackers, two chocolates
Peaches and Vanilla Coffee.
3
Mushroom Gnocci with Broccoli (2 glasses of wine)
Veggie Delight 12 inch on wheat with provolone *
Vegan waffles and Coffee
2
Cheese Pizza Slice
Vegan burger with tomato and potatoes
Vegan Waffles and Coffee
1
Leftover Labor Day
Burrito
Portabello Sandwich
Indian Food
31: VACATION FROM DIET DAY
Bagel with cream cheese (1 tbsp) and lox
Oysters, Mixed Grill of Sea Bass, Salmon, Crab cake
Creme Brulee
Wine

First week of school

2008-08-30T11:59:00.000-07:00

I have to remember to blog every night or before school with my coffee. It is hard to remember the whole entire week but in blog fashion, I will go in reverse...
I must also admit that I am plant based, not classically vegan. This will allow for the slight dairy and seafood mishaps during this hectic first week.
Sat
Portobello, Asparagus, Tomato sandwich (yummy) fries
Bagel with CREAM CHEESE (1/2 tbsp) and LOX (ok this is very non vegan but so worth it)
Coffee with Hazlenut creamer
Fri
Veggie Bites, Coffee with sugar
Tortilla Chips
Saag Korja (potatoes, peppers, spinach) with rice and naan (SOOOO good) at Cafe Spice
Veggie Burger with Fries
Thu
Vegan waffle
Black Bean Soy Burger, with Broccoli
Wed
Vegan waffles
Tomato soup
Griller with fries
Chips and salsa, Carrots and Celery, Crackers and Brie (OMG yum) Red pepper Tapenade

School Starts, Vegan turned Vegetarian

2008-08-26T15:03:00.000-07:00

Cereal and Soy milk for breakfast. Coffee and fat free sugar free cream.
Monday
Veggie Bites, Chips and Salsa, Portabello Tomato and Avocado, Almond M&Ms
Tuesday
Doughnut! Tomato Soup, Savory Sandwich spread on bun with tortilla chips (much better as a dip), CRAB legs and baked potato with soy cheese.
I should make a big fruit salad on mondays and eat it each day at work. I also really crave something warm for lunch, and leftovers are rarely appealing.

Weekend

2008-08-24T10:20:00.000-07:00

Walked to the store this morning. It was very nice and motivating way to exercise. It's nice to know I have a reason to be moving around. Anyway, I made these muffins and they were terrible...
2 c. corn meal
2 c. oat bran
4 tsp. baking powder
2 c. apple juice.

Semi-OK if you have jam on them, but the oat bran tastes terrible, perhaps if you use a different type of oat bran. Maybe I just used bran, can't find where it says oat on the box...

Soy hot dog with soy pepper-jack.
Savory Sweet Sandwiches: kidney beans, relish, soy mayo, mustard, lettuce and tom on bread.

Peppered pasta. Penne with roasted red peppers, leeks, capers, and basil.

All of today's recipes are from Dr. McDougall's 40 year old vegan site. C+ today

Faculty breakfast

2008-08-23T20:52:00.000-07:00

ok last Friday was also difficult. People literally throw pastries at you at my work. Even day old panera pastries in a garbage bag were edible today. So I had a quarter chocolate muffin, mini crab cake, baked pears. Totally bummed there wasn't any fruit salad left. Then the department ordered out lunch and I said salad. Got a Greek salad but it had feta AND anchovies. Then an hour of yoga followed by moo shu vegetable from the orient.

Today I had cereal, the rest of the moo shu and so much wine I took a five hour nap, sleeping through any semblance of a Saturday night I was supposed to have. When I awoke I made an Amys Soy Cheese pizza. Ate it all up

Bagels Burgers Burritoes Oh My

2008-08-21T12:38:00.001-07:00

Everything bagel
Coffee with fat free vanilla creamer
Soy Black Bean Burger on Bun with Baked Fries
Burrito with beans rice tomatoes chilis and soy cheese
wine, hummus and pita

Frustration

2008-08-20T04:06:00.001-07:00

Chewy granola bar, coffee with soy milk
Yummy Panera! Woop woop, Veggie sandwich and garden vegetable soup
Peppermints
Chips and Salsa
Rainbow of Sides: Roasted red tomatoes, baked sweet potato, roasted yellow cherry toms, broccoli, kale crisps.

Luke the cat loved the kale crisps, I thought they were weird.

Almost

2008-08-19T13:07:00.000-07:00

Cereal with soy milk (forgot the blueberries)
White omelete with portabello and tomato with hashbrowns
English muffin
Veggie Kabob with saffron rice
Pasta with zucchini and tomatoes

Not a vegan

2008-08-18T15:20:00.000-07:00

Today I didn't make it.

Cereal with soy milk
Fruit salad
Broccoli and rice pilaf and wine
2 crabs and beer
Bread, lettuce, tomato, thin layer of some sort of deli meat
chips and salsa
Pasta with sauce cooked with meatballs sans the balls

Sunday

2008-08-17T17:03:00.000-07:00

Cereal with Soy Milk OJ
Veggie Burger and Fries
Stuffed Peppers with mashed potatoes and curried veggies.

I can't remember what I lost last night

2008-08-16T06:56:00.000-07:00

Fryday
Fried pickles and some crab dip with Big Daddy and Grammy K at happy hour sorta makes me think that I will have to be a little lax on the oil rule on Fridays.
Team Iron Horse went to play trivia and Applebee's has a pretty good veggie burger Hooray! Trouble is the french fries. But we won by many many points
Saturday
Cereal with Vanilla Soy, OJ.
Rainbow Pasta Salad
Soy Cheese Quesadilla
Vegetarian Melting Pot: 2 raviolis with spinach and artichokes, artichoke hearts, asparagus, mushrooms, broccoli, tofu, potatoes, squash
Dark Chocolate for strawberries and bananas
Wine

Maybe I Shouldn't Say Anything...

2008-08-15T05:48:00.000-07:00

Keep it to yourself. Diets, Politics, and Friends. However, I am right :)

Last night I was invited over for pizza by My Two Bmore Moms. I had to explain and defend my position again on the diet, but they gave me compliments and encouragement. But I will try food someone has prepared for me, as I am not going to be rude. Also, because I knew pizza was on the menu, I grabbed a green salad with yellow cherry toms and the Three Bean salad out of the fridge and took them over. I did take most of the cheese off the pizza and ate the crust, and was forced to have genuine Italian salami slice from Mom T, but that is OK.

And then I talked to my real mom on the phone and it was such a lovely conversation. You know when both people are in the mood to talk how great it goes. We were both relieved about the LH and Son getting home from hospital. I had a nice time with her.

Today: Cereal with Soy Milk and Blueberries
Rainbow Pasta: A number one hit! Made in about 20 minutes with whatever is in the fridge and pasta. Needs to chill for about 2 hours.
Put on a pot of water to boil with the lid. Add multicolored fusilli, cook 10 min. Drain and rinse with cold water.
Meanwhile... Dice green onions, zucchini, yellow bell, cherry tom halves add to a large bowl. Cook frozen cauliflower, broccoli, and carrots in microwave (16 oz bag of California Mix 5 min stirring once) drain. Add to big bowl. Add soy sauce, tobasco, and 1/2 c. honey dijon dressing. Let sit while pasta finishes.

Mix the pasta and another 1/2 c. dressing into bowl and let chill in fridge for 1.5 hrs +. Yummy!

Stuffed Peppers

Seeing a trend

2008-08-14T08:07:00.000-07:00

I told team iron horse about the vegan plan and they were shocked and scared but proud of me. I had to order funny at the bar with a lot of menu choices NONE vegan, but the bartender was understanding and threw together broccoli and pasta. But the wine is affecting me so differently, I have to constantly eat something but I actually liked the side salad with just vinegar.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Toasts with Coffee
The Vegan Dream Solution is cinnamon life and soy milk. Double yum. I will also now be saying double ha.

Inspired by the ripe mango and ripe avocado and a quick google search, I made a mango avocado spring mix salad tossed with an orange Dijon vinaigrette. I used a tsp of oil but probably could have not used it at all.

Inspired by after school snacks at the Updyke's house after soccer practice, a soy cheese quesadilla with guacamole, lemon-cilantro-tofu sour "cream" and homemade salsa. This should be an every day favorite.

Rainbow Pasta

Another Day

List of dreams:
New fridge with ice maker on door with two open doors and two freezer drawers on bottom.
Old fridge in basement for storage.

Whining about Wine

2008-08-13T14:18:00.000-07:00

Thinking about all of the food I am consuming is making me notice how much drink I am consuming, and because I am eating less, I need to drink less as well.

So I'm focusing on teas. herbal and otherwise...And if I don't order wine at the bar this will be my new phrase "I'll have a coke"

Wednesday
Almond Crusted "French" Toast with syrup and powdered sugar
Veggie Burger with soy cheese and fries
Himalayan Curry Soup: AKA Curry in a Hurry. Onions 2 handfuls, celery 1 handful saute in veg broth add more broth, 2 handfuls zucchini, 1 c cooked rice and 3 tsp curry, 2 tsp soy sauce, 1 tsp paprika. I put it on basmati rice which begged for a thicker indian sauce with curry. Next stop Indian Food Restaurant.
Salad with Vinegar, Pasta and Broccoli with Vinegar and Wine (at Padonia 30$)

Tuesday
Oatmeal with Raisin
Harvest Soup Remix (much better on day 2)
Three Bean Salad with brown rice
7 Layer Dip with corn tortilla chips (lemon-cilantro-tofu sour cream and soy cheese)
Soft Pretzel
Wine and Drinks

Got sick?

2008-08-11T12:25:00.000-07:00

Made spaghetti, I then got sick. Promptly ended the motivated clean out basement day. But I did call the Junk man and they're coming for the junk!

Almost Training Table Almost Cheese Fries
Baked fries in oven (no oil) for 15 minutes. Put shredded cheddar soy cheese on top and microwave for 1 minute. Serve with ketchup. Fry sauce will have to come later, I can't deal with the mayo substitute yet.

Garden Harvest Soup
Onion, red bell, garlic saute in veg broth. Add flour. More veggie broth, zucchini, tomato, corn (from CC's garden) bring to a boil adding cumin, sage, cracked pepper, simmer with lid for 10 min. Add soy milk

Sunday Sunday

2008-08-10T07:27:00.001-07:00

Went to grocery store, $50 including kitty litter, $70 including wine.

Fruit Salad: Canteloupe, Kiwi, Blueberries. Toasts with Apple Jelly
I think I'm allergic to canteloupe. No Banana, I can't Elope.
Coffee with Chocolate Soy Milk.

Hangover Cure Burrito: I was nearly dialing 33 pizza when I created this sensational food that fixed me right up (I made another one and am considering eating it right now :))

1 tortilla, handful of shredded soy cheddar melted in microwave 1 min. Topped with refried beans, lettuce, tomato, olives, green onions, salsa and cilantro. Served with a full calorie coke. Cured the Irish Flu right up.

Olympic Rice leftovers I halved the recipe, so I should probably quarter it next time because the green veggies aren't so pretty today, try in a tortilla for lunch. (added some more soy sauce)

Peach Surprise!
4 sliced peaches, tossed with Grandma's Apricot Jam, flour, nutmeg. Cooked for 30 minutes then topped with 1/2 c oats tossed with maple syrup and vanilla and cooked for 15 minutes more @ 350.

I only had time to eat 1/2 c leftovers and 1/2 serving of peach surprise because I went out and ordered a spinach salad. It was good and I avoided an egg and all the bacon, I dipped my fork into the dressing on the side and then into the salad, the side didn;t even look in.

Wine and chips and salsa

Vegan at the zoo

2008-08-09T10:14:00.000-07:00

This is much easier than my last attempt at being a veg (sadly pointed out to me that it was 20 years ago)... but even at the zoo they had a veggie burger that was just as good as their regular burger would have been (except it had very little flavor, but it filled me up) I should have packed a picnic, but I thought PBJs and fruite salad would have been lame, turns out it probably would have been lovely.

Picked up a sack of great veggies from CC's garden. Canteloupe, Cucumber, Zucchini, Yellow squash (bumpy kind), Tomatoes, Cherry Toms, Peppers! Yummy! I have to go to the store for a few things and then I'm going to make salsa.
(Onions, cilantro, limes)

Triple Grande Soy Vanilla Latte **$ ($5)
1/2 c. Cantaloupe, Pineapple, Honeydew Salad. 1 Cinnamon raisin bagel.
Veggie Burger with BBQ sauce, ketchup, mustard, relish (flavor) ($5)
Something salty = spinach with redwine vinegar
Something sweet = mashed sweet potato
International Confetti Rice (Olympic Rice)
Chips and Salsa and Wine

Recipe for Olympic Rice
Saute white onions, green onions, celery, red bell pepper, mushrooms in veg broth (no oil). Add can diced toms, can green chiles, green beans, peas, cherry toms and cook 5 min. (AKA garden fresh vegetables) Add cooked rice and soy sauce, cook 5 min to heat through. Add cilantro. Eat hot!! Yummy!

I was a vegan today!

2008-08-08T14:06:00.000-07:00

ha ha ha
Oatmeal raisins topped with grapes kiwi blueberries
Savory spread sandwhich half with 1/2 salsa potato
hummus with pita bread and wine on bar porch with CC ($20)
Brown rice with garlic mushrooms celery red bell sauté with soy served with spinach with red wine vinegar!!!
I did it! I am so proud of myself

PS I need beano desperately and I'm a little starving at 12 am

It's not the protein making you _________

2008-08-07T09:32:00.000-07:00

It's the carbs. Well I agree. But my new plan is focused on plant based products with very little oils to bring down my triglicerides. Today, I had cream in my coffee, I will buy soy cream on my way home at Trader Joe's!!

Day 4 8/7/8
Potato baked in microwave (5 min) and then fried sans grease, toast w/ apple jelly and fruit salad of blueberries, kiwi, and grapes.
Veggie Burger on whole wheat bun & Fries. (Sally, I did have more carbs today oops)
Out to wine dinner of hummus olives greens on naan with a lot of wine on the side $50!!!

Maybe I'm not Meg Ryan enough to be a vegan

2008-08-06T07:37:00.000-07:00

I cannot refuse food that someone else prepared for me. On day 3 of pre-vegan-ness I awoke to a roomate cooked breakfast of eggs and chicken sausage. I made toast with apple jelly, my favorite jam I used to restrict myself to eat when it was convieniently on the table in those little square jam packets at the diner (now I purchased an entire jar!) But couldn't tell her I refused the food she had prepared for us on our second to last morning together at the Marsh House.

Unike Meg (Sally) in "When Harry Met Sally" I tend to not be particular when food is prepared by others. I will probably be able to say at a restaurant, no meat no cheese no butter no oil (this is from the 40 year old vegan diet I haven't started yet) but when I go to someone's house or someone else cooks for me, I have a feeling it will be hard to say "sorry no thanks". But the sausage was chicken and the egg was cooked to perfection. Let's say goodbye and good morning to that type of breakfast.

Day 3 8/6/2008
One egg, one chicken sausage, one toast with jam no butter **
Flatbread pizza with shittakes and arugala (and cheese **)
Mashed sweet potatoes, squash ribbons, and asparagus.

Not from Las Vegas Not quite a Vegan (yet)

2008-08-05T11:25:00.000-07:00

Ok, I'm not from Las Vegas. However, the title is catchy eh? I am going to use this blog as a new venture in diet and lifestyle. My other blog is about personal stuff but I don't think my audience wants to hear about my daily dieting exploits. I would like to remain a little more anonymous anyway.

My almost vegan diet

Day One 8/4/08
Fruit salad with 4 strawberries, 1 kiwi, 1/2 mango.
Very last EVER quad grande white mocha latte **
Spinach and Tomato Sauce on Bread (?) small salad with balsamic and a cannoli **.
Bean burritos (2) on corn tortillas
Wine is plant based.

Groceries = $27 Wine = On Mike  *$$ = 10.00
Exercise = Two 10 minute walks

Day two 8/5/08
Raisin, blueberry and maple oatmeal
Griller veggie burger with tom & onion, baked french fries
Cheesecake from the cheesecake factory ***
Potato curry (made with chicken)** with rice
Okra and bok choy (made with beef)**
cheezits** and cherry coke zero **
**very unvegan and very unlocal**